Cadillac VIN decoder

What a Cadillac decode gives you

The decoder looks the VIN up in NHTSA’s vPIC database and shows what General Motors reported: model year, model and trim, body, drive type, engine size and cylinders or the electric drive, fuel and electrification level, the plant, airbag positions and GVWR class. Recalls NHTSA lists for that year and model come next. It isn’t a history check, so branded titles, collisions and odometer records aren’t part of it; a history report covers those (pricing). For non-GM makes, try the VIN decoder.

Cadillac manufacturer codes (WMI)

Cadillac has no codes in its own name; they belong to General Motors. GM’s standard spells the WMI out character by character: position 1 is the region of build (1 United States, 3 Mexico), position 2 is G for General Motors, and position 3 is the brand and vehicle type: 6 for a Cadillac passenger car, Y for a Cadillac MPV and E for an incomplete Cadillac.

How GM codes a Cadillac in positions 4 to 8 and 11

• Position 4 (SUVs): GVWR band, brake system and body style.
• Positions 5 and 6: chassis and series, which carries the trim. On the 2027 Escalade, 9B is Luxury 4WD and 9H the V-Series; on the Lyriq, PN is Luxury and PZ the V-Series.
• Position 7: the restraint system, a letter only.
• Position 8: the engine. On the Escalade, L is the 6.2-litre V8 and 9 the supercharged 6.2-litre LT4. On electric models it names the drive and battery set-up, for example “electric BEV, Gen 3, RWD, 12-MOD” for one Lyriq code.
• Position 11, plant: R is Arlington and 4 Orion for the Escalade; Z is Spring Hill for the Lyriq and Vistiq; S is Ramos Arizpe in Mexico for the Optiq; U is Factory Zero for the Escalade IQ.

Plant letters are defined per model line, not across the company. In the same 2027 standard, U means Factory Zero on the Escalade IQ page and the Artisan Center on the Celestiq page. That is one more reason to read the decoder’s plant field rather than a generic list.

Cadillac-specific checks

Position 9 is GM’s check digit, worked out with the weighting formula the standard prints in full; a VIN that fails it has most likely been mistyped or altered. Position 10 is V for 2027 (VIN year codes). For recalls on one car, enter the VIN in Cadillac’s owner center or at NHTSA; the decoder lists recalls for the model.

Before you buy a used Cadillac

• Make sure the dash, door-label and title VINs are the same.
• On an Escalade sold as a V-Series, the 2027 standard puts 9 in position 8 for the supercharged engine.
• Check the title history for salvage, rebuilt and flood brands (salvage title check).
• Compare the odometer reading with earlier records (odometer rollback check).

Our Smart VIN Check report, with NMVTIS title records for the VIN, is $15.99.